Windsor's Instant Beauty Pageant
By Carly Moulton
Lance Writer
November 5, 2008
 Whether you love them or hate them, reality shows have swept the nation by storm.
Now you can watch a celebrity walk around their house, observe as teams of people compete against each other on a remote island, or envy rich teenagers as they throw lavish sweet 16 birthday parties, all by turning on the T.V.
The growing trend shows no end in sight, as more television stations are opting for the cheaper production costs and larger revenues that accompany reality shows.
Though many concepts for reality shows are outrageous, it’s the contestants on the shows that keep viewers tuned in.
Now, even Windsor gets its chance to shine in the new reality show Instant Beauty Pageant, hosted by Cameron Mathison and Debbie Matenopoulos, which airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on E! Canada.
Jacqueline Lemesurier, a dental hygienist, and Lauren O’Neil, a UWindsor student and co-host of the Lance’s Lance Out Loud online video series, got a first hand account of what it’s actually like to be on a reality show, as they were one of five pairs selected to compete in Instant Beauty Pageant.
With only three hours and $400, the contestants were each in charge of compiling a bathing suit and eveningwear, coming up with a talent, and then walking a runway set up in Devonshire Mall directly in front of The Bay.
Contestants then compete against each other in hopes of winning the Instant Beauty Windsor title, a trip to Mexico, and a crown.
Each team had their own director and camera crew to record every minute of their spontaneous shopping adventure.
O’Neil, who was in charge of Lemesurier’s styling, encouragement, and organization of her talent, assisted Lemesurier, who was competing.
Judgments are easy to pass about people as we watch them scurry around on the screen, eager to complete whatever task has been directed at them.
However, these presumptions prove to be not entirely fair, as the personalities and conflicts that we watch may not always reflect a person’s true nature.
“They would totally coach you in acting like a certain character,” O’Neil explained.
“They will cut and dub your words,” added Lemesurier.
“They did it to every single person … I gave them nothing and they even edited it to make me look snappy,” Lemesurier continued.
The girls described how their characters were made to act like ditzy superficial airheads.
The directors also looked to boost the contestant’s confidence, in order to make them appear arrogant.
O’Neil clarified, “They’d sit there and tell you, ‘You guys are so funny, you’re so talented, why are you in Windsor? Why aren’t you in Toronto? Why aren’t you in L.A.? You should be an actor, you should be this, this, this. You’re so much better than this.’ And it makes you think like, ‘Oh my God, yeah, I could be.’ And then you say stupid things.”
So what’s the final verdict? It’s important to keep in mind that what goes on behind the camera never makes it to our screen.
For the most part, reality shows are intended to be light of heart, and the girls recommend this one be viewed as fun.
Be sure to catch Lemesurier and O’Neil strutting their stuff in the Devonshire Mall episode of Instant Beauty Pageant, which airs Sunday Nov. 9 on E! Canada at 7 p.m.
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